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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/24663976">I'm Still The Man You Trust</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Latte_Hottay/pseuds/Latte_Hottay'>Latte_Hottay</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Hatchetfield Universe - Team StarKid</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Angst, F/M, Half Infected Paul Matthews, Post-Canon</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-06-11</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-06-11</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-04 04:55:19</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>767</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/24663976</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Latte_Hottay/pseuds/Latte_Hottay</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Paul has some control over his body, but will it be enough to save Emma?</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Paul Matthews/Emma Perkins</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>24</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>I'm Still The Man You Trust</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>I'm back with some a n g s t.</p><p>It's kind of weird but bold and cursive is infected Paul talking</p><p>Also this is my first half infected Paul oneshot and wow this is difficult.</p><p>TRIGGER WARNINGS:<br/>-Needles<br/>-Injury<br/>-Broken bones</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>“Emma?” Paul’s voice broke. “</span>
  <b>
    <em>Emma, I’m sorry,</em>
  </b>
  <span>” he sang softly, as if he was trying not to scare her. “Emma, it’s okay, you’re safe.” The other infected had left the two alone in Emma’s hospital room.</span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>“No, Paul, get the </span>
  <em>
    <span>fuck </span>
  </em>
  <span>away from me! You’re one of them!” Emma shouted, grabbing the IV pole and made sure the alien who pretended to be Paul kept enough distance. </span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>Paul grabbed the other end of the pole and threw it to the side. Emma lost her grip on it and it flew across the room, smashing the window in pieces. He was strong. Stronger than before he got infected. “Emma, it’s okay, I’m here. </span>
  <b>
    <em>I’m still the man you trust.</em>
  </b>
  <span>” </span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>“Paul? Paul, please don’t do this! I know you’re in there!” she cried desperately. </span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>Paul slowly came closer to her. “</span>
  <b>
    <em>Come on, Em. It won’t hurt that much, join the fun. It’s inevitable.</em>
  </b>
  <span>” There was only a bit of melody in his words. It almost sounded… normal.</span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>Emma shivered, and she wasn’t sure if it was because of Paul’s words or the cold air that came into the room through the broken window. </span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>Paul grabbed her hand, Emma tried to pull away, but his grip only tightened. “</span>
  <b>
    <em>Emma, I’m sorry… You lost…</em>
  </b>
  <span>”</span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>“Paul?” Her body was shaking now, paralyzed with fear.</span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>“Emma?” Paul asked, the brightness of his glowing eyes dimming slightly. “Emma, shh, it’s okay.” He pulled the crying girl into a hug and held her head tightly against his chest.</span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>“Paul?” she sobbed, “No, you’re one of them!” But she didn’t push him away, instead, she hugged him tighter, trying to get a last bit of comfort before she’d inevitably get killed.</span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>“Shh, Em, it’s me. It’s okay.”</span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>Emma looked up at him, tears still streaming down her cheeks. “Paul? It’s you.”</span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>“Emma, you have to get away from me, okay?”</span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>“I don’t want to leave you! I don’t want to die alone!”</span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>“Okay.” Paul let her go and looked around the room. He grabbed a syringe of the tray next to Emma’s bed and inspected the label. “Okay, how about this: I’m currently trying really hard to keep control over my body. As soon as you notice I’m losing the fight, you have to knock me out with this. Then you get far away from me. Far away from Hatchetfield and Clivesdale.”</span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>Emma nodded, taking the syringe. </span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>Paul smiled at her. “Now let’s go.” He took her hand and together they left the room.</span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>It didn’t take long before Paul started humming. They had just reached the park that was across the street. Emma looked at Paul. His eyes were glowing again. “Paul?”</span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>“Yes?”</span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>“I’m sorry.”</span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>Emma tightened her grip on the syringe and sunk the needle into Paul’s arm. Paul looked confused for a few seconds, but then pushed her away and pulled the needle out with a grin. “</span>
  <b>
    <em>Did you really think a little invention made by you humans could stop us?</em>
  </b>
  <span>”</span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>Emma looked at him in shock. But soon she regained her senses and turned around to run away. But Paul was quicker. He kicked her, aiming for the bandage around her left leg. Emma fell to the ground with a loud scream. She hit the ground hard, her knees and hands scraping the concrete. Paul jumped on top of her, pinning her hands on the ground.</span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>“</span>
  <b>
    <em>Are you ready?</em>
  </b>
  <span>” Emma shook her head, still fighting to get away. “</span>
  <b>
    <em>Come on, Emma. I can make the pain go away. Don’t you want that?</em>
  </b>
  <span>”</span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>“Fuck you!”</span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>“</span>
  <b>
    <em>You can choose: I’ll kill you nice and quick, or we can do it the hard way. What do you want?</em>
  </b>
  <span>”</span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>“I want you to get the fuck away from me!”</span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>“</span>
  <b>
    <em>Hard way it is.</em>
  </b>
  <span>”</span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>He stood up, but before Emma got the chance to crawl away, he stomped his foot on her good leg, followed by a sickening ‘crack’. Emma cried out, clenching her eyes shut in an attempt to deal with the immense pain.</span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>“</span>
  <b>
    <em>Sorry, I had to make sure you don’t get away. Don’t worry, the Hive will heal you. Now for the fun part.</em>
  </b>
  <span>”</span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>Paul bent down and untucked her blouse so that the skin was visible. Emma felt his nails digging into her skin. She opened her eyes and watched in horror as Paul started pulling her guts out. There was blood everywhere.</span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>“</span>
  <b>
    <em>Just close your eyes, the pain will go away,</em>
  </b>
  <span>” Paul said, he sounded genuine and almost normal. “</span>
  <b>
    <em>When you wake up, you’ll be all mine.</em>
  </b>
  <span>”</span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>Emma tried to fight it, but after only a few seconds, she’s embraced by darkness.</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Grammarly said this text sounded "sad" and "anxious" and it made me laugh</p></blockquote></div></div>
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